100 Days of Impact: Week 2

We educate our community. The Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey provides a wealth of educational programming and services right here in our own backyard! These offerings touch every generation.

For the littlest ones, the Katz JCC's award-winning Sari Isdaner Early Childhood Center (for children ages 6 weeks through kindergarten) is the only Jewish child care center in all of South Jersey to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Jewish programs and values are integrated into all curriculum, which includes reading readiness, science, math, and language development. 

On a different note, the Goodwin Holocaust Museum & Education Center (GHMEC), part of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), is an invaluable resource located right on the Jewish Community Campus in Cherry Hill. Besides the permanent exhibitions, which are open daily, the GHMEC offers programming for teachers, lessons for students of all ages, and discussions regarding tolerance and other religions. Most importantly, the GHMEC taps into the incredible community of Holocaust survivors we have in South Jersey, allowing everyone to hear first-hand accounts of experiences from the Holocaust.

Another child-centered program is JCRC's BookMates, which provides weekly one-to-one reading sessions with an adult volunteer. Many of the children in this program are rarely read to at home and benefit greatly from the volunteer's individualized attention. As they share the joy of reading, volunteers also expose the children to a wide range of literature, expand their vocabulary, help improve their comprehension skills, and increase their motivation to read. 

Although we have highlighted only a few programs, there is truly something happening every day in this community to further educate all of us on Jewish values, current events, or just to entertain us.